A typical watch may have a bezel; i.e. a ring around the case. Two types of bezels are commonly used; timing bezels and diving bezels. Timing bezels move in both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions while diving bezels, which are used to visually keep track of a diver's air supply by measuring dive time, only rotate in the counter-clockwise direction. Other bezels may be purely aesthetic and may not move in either direction.
Traditional diving bezels, however, still allow for some movement of the bezel in the clockwise direction, thus causing inaccurate readings for the user. For example, the marking on the bezel may be pointing at “12” on the watch dial, in order to indicate that the user began their dive at the top of the hour. As the diver descends, an object impacting the bezel may cause the bezel to move in the clockwise direction and to point slightly to the right of “12.” The user may then believe that he began the dive at one or two minutes past the hour. For a diver who has a finite supply of air, the one or two minute discrepancy can be fatal. For safety reasons, it is crucial to provide the user with the most accurate measurements for dive time as possible.
The present invention provides a watch bezel assembly having a bezel that uses a resilient device, such as a spring or bumper, positioned within a channel formed in the case to keep constant pressure on the ball and to cause the instantaneous stoppage of the bezel if moved in a clockwise direction. A plurality of rod end screws are also inserted through a plurality of corresponding apertures of the bezel and into the case in order to prevent the bezel from rising up from the case when the balls are pushed up the ramps by the resilient devices. The instantaneous stoppage of the bezel prevents any movement of the bezel in the clockwise direction, thereby allowing for precise readings for the user.